Sony Xperia Z3 launch: LIVE updates, commentary and analysis

Sony is expected to reveal the next iteration of its Xperia handset range, the Xperia Z3, at a packed-out event in Berlin ahead of IFA this week. ITProPortal is going to be on the ground, giving you all the updates you need, as well as photos and analysis of what the updates to the new Xperia phone really mean.

Join us at 15:00 BST (16:00 CEST) for live coverage of the Sony event.

In a market dominated by vendors churning out carbon copies of their rival's smartphones, Sony Xperia phones have consistently set themselves apart from other brands - and the latest addition to the Xperia family, the Xperia Z3, should be no different.

Really, it's not been that long since the Sony Xperia Z2 muscled onto the scene. Widely praised as "the world's best camera in a waterproof smartpone," the Z2 was announced at a packed Mobile World Conference press conference in Barcelona. It means the new Z3 would be launching less than six months after the Z2 and exactly 12 months after the Z1.

Stay tune for all the updates, minute-by-minute commentary, photos and analysis, live from Berlin.

Here's our full news story announcing the Sony Xperia Z3, with a comprehensive run-down of the smartphone's specs (alongside the Z3 compact.)

16:12

16:11

Everyone's waiting with bated breath to see the devices.

16:11

Well, that's it from Sony - but not from ITProPortal. Stay right here for our hands-on review, as we'll as well as full spec comparisons with a total of 8 Xperia Z3 competitors!

16:05

100% of you are impressed so far with Sony's IFA efforts. A lot of love for the Japanese giant here at ITProPortal.

16:03

Stay tuned for our hands-on review!

16:03

Phew! A lot to be getting on with from Sony... can't wait to get our hands on the Xperia Z3.

16:01

16:00

Looks like Xperia is really targeting the consumer market.

16:00

The whole series of phones is also going to be compatible with PlayStation remote play. Good news, gamers!

16:00

Sony's also making full use of its gaming behemoth status.

15:59

This is like a Sony Xperia buffet - we're also being treated to the Xperia E3, Sony's new budget handset.

15:58

15:58

How are you finding the show so far?

15:58

And a compact 8in Xperia tablet! Exciting!

15:58

15:58

Sony announces Xperia Z3 Compact!

15:58

But wait, we don't just have one phone - we have three.

15:57

Aha! The Z3 will shoot in 4K after all. Sony really is making full use of its camera expertise.

15:55

"We continue to redefine the smartphone through the camera experience"

15:55

15:55

Looks like the rumours were bang on, it will have a 20.7-megapixel front facing camera with a 25mm angle.

15:55

Big claim here: the Sony Xperia Z3 will have the "world's best camera in a smartphone."

15:54

The Xperia Z3 has a 5.2in screen (that's bang on the 5in sweetspot that we're seeing among the major manufacturers) and boasts Sony's Triluminos technology.

15:53

So you can take shower selfies to your heart's content. Excellent.

15:53

The Z3 will also, as is so au fait with Sony, be waterproof.

15:52

Wow! Suzuki is promising a battery life on the Z3 of up to "two days."

15:52

The Xperia Z3 will be available in white, black, copper and silver green...

15:51

15:51

It's official, Suzuki is holding the Xperia Z3 in his hand, and boy it looks pretty with just 2mm bezels. That's seriously skinny.

15:50

FINALLY!

15:50

"Now, let's talk about the smartphone."

15:49

A longer battery life could really set the Smartwatch 3 apart in this growing and competitive market.

Both will come out this Autumn.

15:49

A big complaint of wearable technology is that it's actually not that wearable. That's partly down to battery life, because if you're constantly worrying about charging your watch you're not so much wearing it as it's wearing you.

15:48

The Smartwatch 3 apparently has a 2 day battery life - that'll be sure to please customers.

15:48

15:47

There's also the Smartwatch 3, "developed in close collaboration with Google" specifically to match the upcoming Android Wear updates. Intruiging

15:46

Suzuki is introducing the Lifelog, a new smart wrist band with an E-ink paper display.

15:45

15:45

Damn you, Sony!

15:45

"Before we tell you about or new Xperia, I want to tell your about our wearables."

15:44

"We have some exciting news about our latest smartphones..... but before I go into that." - Oh come on!!

15:43

The crowd is, quite literally, on the edge of their seats.

15:43

Kunimasa Suzuki, EVP of Sony is here to break it to us!

15:43

First mention of smartphone! This could be it...

15:42

Sony is introducing a new "high resolution audio walkman," the NWZ-A15 - not the most catchy name ever, but its audio capabilities sound impressive enough.

15:41

15:41

That would be nice though.

15:40

Tamagawa is now taking us on a tour of Sony's audio division. Not literally, mind.

15:39

This is interesting! Sony is announcing the world's highest quality wearable camera, too!

15:39

Clearly, Sony is a world leader in high-end camera production. It makes sense that its smartphones should benefit from the same technology.

15:39

It's rumoured that the Sony Xperia Z3 camera will pack 20-megapixels. With 4K video thrown in on top, that would surely please budding James Camerons.

15:37

A lot of exciting new cameras from Sony, but that's not why we're here!

15:35

15:34

It's interesting though that there's such a focus here on 4K - one of the top rumours circulating the web was that the Sony Xperia Z3 will be able to shoot 4K video. Fingers crossed.

15:33

Would like to think most people's threshold for unique emotional experiences would be higher...

15:33

He's describing the "unique emotional experience" when you "see more details on your TV."

15:32

15:32

Tamagawa is really pushing 4K as a key feature of Sony's TVs. Cue a very artistic video with, we can confirm, very realistic bubbles.

15:31

Lot's of talk on 4K - Sony has made it a "communications priority."

15:28

15:28

Massey Tamagawa, President of Sony Europe, now on stage to talk about Sony's "new products." Could this be it?

15:28

According to Hirai, Sony it's trying to get you "untethered from the living room" with cloud and mobile. Some, uh, vivid images of his living room come to mind...

15:27

IFA is, after all, a primarily consumer electronics show. It makes sense that Sony would want to big up its extremely powerful gaming division.

15:26

Some impressive statistics though - members of the PlayStation network have just cleared 53 million worldwide.

15:26

15:25

Now we move on to PlayStation 4 boasting. Sigh.

15:25

Sony's teasing us now: everyone sat up when an image of the old Xperia Z2 popped up on the screen. Nope, that's not the new one!

15:23

15:22

Hm, now Hirai's recapping the impressive camera releases from Sony's last year. Where is this going exactly?

15:22

We'll see if there are as many wows this time round - if rumours are true and we're about to see the launch of the Xperia Z3, it's only been a matter of months since the Z2 launched at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. How much can Sony really have innovated in such a short space of time?

15:20

15:20

We're loving this "wow" count, logging the amount of times Hirai exclaimed wow at the launch of the Xperia Z2. It's always nice to see a big tech company not taking itself too seriously *cough, Apple, cough*

15:19

Hirai tells us about Sony's philosophy of Kando, which he calls "experiencing wow."

15:17

Sony president and CEO Kazuo Hirai is now on stage, to the tune of "stay up all night to get lucky".

15:17

The room had gone dark. Now we get the classic video opener. And our first look at the Xperia Z3!

15:16

Some of the most revealing snaps of the device we've yet seen from Sony!

15:15

15:13

Sony have begun a 2 minute countdown! This is it, people...

15:12

15:08

The enormous panoramic Imax screen is making me think the former.

15:08

Will Sony go for the slamming music and flashing lights style of launch, or the inspiring lifestyle case studies? That's one if the questions we're here to find out!

15:07

Buzzing crowd here in Berlin. Everyone's talking about what Sony's got in store this time.

15:02

The doors have opened. Let the journo jostling commence.

15:01

Things are set to kick off in 15 minutes so stay tuned!

15:01

We're outside the Sony conference now, elbows at the ready to fight for a front row seat.

15:00

09:36

Under the hood, GSM arena seems to think that the Sony Xperia Z3 will pack 16GB of memory with 3GB of RAM. It'll also have a 20.7-megapixel camera and a secondary front-facing 2.2-megapixel snapper.

09:35

If you're not sure what to expect from the new Sony handset, don't worry - we've been compiling all the rumours pertaining to Xperia Z3 (from the surefire to the wacky) in this handy article.